Hryshko Botanical Garden

The garden of the National Academy of Sciences, founded in 1936 and named after the botanist Mykola Hryshko, covers about a hundred and thirty hectares of the steep Dnipro slopes, with some 13,000 kinds of plant, and is best known for one thing: a lilac collection of several hundred varieties that flowers in the second half of May and brings the whole city up the hill. The setting does as much as the plants, with the golden domes of Vydubychi monastery directly below and the river beyond. There are also sections of plants from the Carpathians, the plains of Ukraine, Crimea, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Altai and the Far East, and a large glasshouse; the Vydubychi and St Jonas monasteries stand within the grounds.

What you'll find

• The lilac collection - several hundred varieties flowering through late May.
• The monastery view - Vydubychi's domes directly below the slope.
• The plant regions - steppe, Carpathian and other Ukrainian habitats laid out.
• The glasshouse - tropical and subtropical collections under cover.

When to go

The second half of May is the lilac and by a distance the busiest and best time. April to October is pleasant generally. Winter access is limited.

Practical notes

During the lilac fortnight the crowds are heavy and the slopes get churned. Outside it the garden is quiet but much less remarkable.

Nearby

Vydubychi monastery is directly below, and the Lavra is north along the slopes.

Key facts